California Love

Chapter 14 - Packing

Potter Manor

Yet again, The Potter House was, in the kindest way, a hot freakin mess. You had house elves running from room to room, Things zooming in the air, voices overlapping each other. Just so much.

All because two certain people forgot to tell the Kids in the house when they needed to start packing, causing them to be rushing around trying to hurry and pack, on the day they were leaving.

"REMUS! Have you seen my jacket?" Sirius yelled from down the hall as he ran around widely looking for his jacket.

"Black, Heads up." Just as he turned to look at Severa, his jacket hit his right in the face.

Sirius caught the jacket with a laugh, shaking his head in amusement as he glanced over at Severa. "Thanks," he called out with a grin before quickly slipping on the jacket and zipping it up.

Severa smirked, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she leaned against the doorway. "You're welcome, Black," she replied, her tone teasing as she watched him. He gave her a flirty smile and was about to shoot his shot when Peter ran in front of him yelling.

"No time for flirting, Sirius!"

Sirius rolled his eyes at Peter's interruption, torn away from his momentary distraction with Severa. He turned his attention back to James and Peter, watching with a mix of amusement and exasperation as they struggled to close the overstuffed trunk.

"Need a hand there, Prongs?" Sirius called out, a smirk playing on his lips as he approached the scene.

James shot him a glare, sweat beading on his forehead as he grappled with the stubborn latch. "Would be nice if you actually helped instead of flirting with Snape," he retorted, his frustration evident in his tone.

Sirius chuckled, reaching out to lend a hand. "Fine, fine, I'll help," he relented, his grin widening as he joined Peter in pushing down on the trunk lid.

With combined effort, they finally managed to close the trunk, eliciting a triumphant cheer from Peter and James. Sirius flashed them a smug grin, enjoying the small victory before turning his attention back to the task at hand.

"Where did she go now?" Sirius muttered to himself as he searched for Severa, oblivious to her presence as she helped Remus maneuver a heavy trunk down the stairs. Fleamont passed by, offering them a thumbs-up and a word of encouragement before narrowly missing Severa flipping him off.

As Fleamont disappeared into the drawing room, Euphemia's voice echoed through the house, reminding everyone to check if they had everything they needed. Fleamont wrapped his arms around his wife from behind, prompting her to check her trunks once more.

"Do you have everything?" he asked, his gaze scanning her belongings. "I think you might be missing something..."

Euphemia furrowed her brow, rummaging through her trunk in search of the missing item. "What? What am I missing?" she questioned, puzzled.

Fleamont leaned in to kiss her cheek, his tone light. "Me," he replied with a playful grin.
Euphemia froze, momentarily taken aback before regaining her composure. "Now is not the time for flirting," she chided, though a hint of a smile played at the corners of her lips.

Just as he leaned in for a kiss the door opened and all the kids stood there staring.

The sudden interruption from the kids brought Fleamont and Euphemia back to reality, their moment of affection interrupted by the amused expressions of the younger generation. James's comment broke the awkward silence, drawing laughter from the others.

"Ew," James remarked, his tone teasing as he glanced between his parents with a playful smirk.

Severa quickly seized the opportunity to diffuse the situation, stepping forward to close the door with exaggerated slowness, her lips curling into a mischievous grin as she blocked the view of the couple from the others.

Fleamont chuckled at the antics of the kids, pulling Euphemia closer with a fond smile. "Alright, alright, back to work," he declared, his voice lighthearted as helped his wife load up her trunks.

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2 Hours

Finally, after 2 long hours, everyone was packed are ready to go. But first, they had to eat, 

Despite Fleamont's suggestion to eat at the beach house, Euphemia remained steadfast in her decision to have their final meal in the comfort of their own home. For her, it was about cherishing every moment in the familiar surroundings before embarking on their new adventure.

As Flemont took a glance around the table he liked what he saw. Remus tossed pieces of bread in the air as James and Peter tried to catch it in their mouths,  Sirius Flirting with severa while leaning all up on her.

This felt good, there were no more problems, no fighting, just smiles and Joy. He couldn't help but smile as he watched Severa stuffed Sirius's mouth with a piece of bread to shut him up, only for Sirus to eat the bread and keep talking.

When he looked at Euphemia, he found her looking right back at him with a warm smile before she leaned in and whispered. "I'm worried Severa may hex Sirius's mouth away before we even leave." He couldn't help but chuckle as he glanced back over to find Severa looking ready to commit a crime while Sirius was unaware of the danger he was putting himself in.

Fleamont leaned in close to Euphemia, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he whispered. "Shall we save him for such fate?" Euphemia's smile widened at his words, and she nodded in agreement, her own playful spirit matching his. 

With a subtle signal, she diverted Severa's attention with a question, smoothly steering the conversation away from whatever fate Fleamont had in mind.

Meanwhile, Fleamont took the opportunity to regale the boys with one of his trademark stories, weaving a tale that held them captivated until the last word. Their laughter mingled with his narration, creating a harmonious symphony of camaraderie that echoed through the room.

As dinner came to a close, they all rose from the table, their trunks shrunken down to convenient sizes and tucked away in their pockets. The anticipation of what lay ahead hung in the air, a palpable energy that fueled their excitement.

"Alright, everyone ready?" Euphemia's voice cut through the anticipation as she produced the portkey—a simple shoe, its worn leather imbued with magical energy. The group nodded in unison, their expressions a mix of eagerness and anticipation as they each placed a hand on the shoe.

With a surge of magic, the portkey activated, whisking them away.

California Here We Come.